People in Demon Slayer: The Journey That Began with Demon Slayer

Love Pillar? Mitsuri Kanroji.

However, Yosuke noticed that Obanai Iguro's expression seemed to indicate that she was very unwilling for Mitsuri Kanroji to be there.

Kanroji Mitsuri noticed Yosuke's gaze and immediately broke out in a cold sweat. She hurriedly explained, "Because the Demon Slayer Corps hasn't had many missions lately, I've been quite bored at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters. I overheard that Mr. Iguro was going to go on a mission with Mr. Yosuke, so I asked my lord if I could go along."

Obanai Iguro pulled Yosuke aside. "Yosuke...Mr."

Obanai Iguro addressed Yosuke as "sir" in a very stiff tone the first time.

Obanai Iguro said awkwardly, "Could you please not tell Mitsuri that this trip to Hachijou Island involves me?"

Yosuke glanced at Kanroji Mitsuri standing to the side, then at Iguro Obanai fidgeting in front of him, and suddenly realized: "You two are a couple, aren't you?"

Obanai Iguro's face immediately turned bright red: "N-no way! We're just comrades! Yes! Comrades!"

Then Obanai Iguro murmured dejectedly, "I am a descendant of a filthy clan that satisfies its desires through murder. I am scum, and I am utterly unworthy of Mitsuri..."

Looking at the self-conscious Obanai Iguro, Yosuke advised, "No one is born dirty. If you don't express your feelings, you may never get a response in your entire life. Is that really what you want?"

Obanai Iguro stubbornly said, "If I don't die once first and replace this body that flows with filthy blood, I will feel ashamed just to stay by Mitsuri's side."

Yosuke nodded silently: "I understand..."

The three of them set off together for Hachijojima Island.

Hachijō Island is a very small island, very close to the mainland, and the people living on it make a living by fishing.

Modern architecture has not spread to Hachijojima; the island still retains its retro-style buildings.

Perhaps it's because no outsiders have visited Hachijojima for a long time.

When Yosuke and his two companions arrived at Hachijojima, it was nighttime, but the fishermen who had gone out to fish had just finished their day's work and returned to Hachijojima, so there were many people there, all casting curious glances at the three outsiders.

Obanai Iguro led Yosuke and Mitsuri Kanroji through Hachijoji Island.

Even though she hadn't been back for many years, Obanai Iguro was still very familiar with Hachijojima.

Kanroji Mitsuri asked curiously, "Huh, Mr. Iguro seems to know Hachijojima very well."

Obanai Iguro stammered, "...I once carried out a mission on Hachijojima, so I remember the route here."

"it is as expected!"

Kanroji Mitsuri had no doubts about Obanai Iguro. She had just guessed that Obanai Iguro's familiarity with Hachijojima might be because he had been there for some mission.

Kanroji Mitsuri was fascinated by everything on Hachijojima Island and looked around curiously.

Obanai Iguro breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that Mitsuri hadn't noticed anything amiss.

Another question from Kanroji Mitsuri made Obanai Iguro's heart leap into his throat: "What mission are Mr. Iguro and Mr. Yosuke on Hachijojima this time?"

Just as Obanai Iguro was wondering how to answer, Yosuke came to the rescue, saying, "I'm the one who came to Hachijojima. I want to investigate some things, but I don't know where Hachijojima is, so I asked Iguro to help me show me the way."

"Hey, what's up?" Kanroji Mitsuri asked curiously.

Obanai Iguro explained, following Yosuke's words, "It's about the priest family. Didn't our lord say that we should also investigate the priest family? There were priests here before, so Mr. Yosuke wants to come here to investigate."

Kanroji Mitsuri brought her face close to Obanai Iguro's and asked with great gossip, "Eh? Mr. Yosuke? Mr. Iguro, you didn't address me like that before!"

Obanai Iguro, whose nose was almost touching Mitsuri Kanroji's, shyly turned her head away and argued with a touch of arrogance, "People always have to change a little!"

Kanroji Mitsuri was somewhat skeptical: "Really? Mr. Iguro has changed quite a bit."

After the brief incident, the three of them once again ventured deeper into Hachijojima Island.

But suddenly an old man stopped them: "Judging from your appearance, you shouldn't be from Hachijojima, right?"

Kanroji Mitsuri replied very enthusiastically, "That's right, we're not residents of Hachijojima. Is there anything I can help you with, sir?"

The old man earnestly advised, "Since you are not from Hachijo Island, then listen to my advice: do not go in again, and leave Hachijo Island as soon as possible!"

Yosuke asked politely, "Sir, could you tell us the reason?"

"Hachijō Island does not welcome any outsiders. Once an outsider comes to Hachijō Island, not only you, but we will also be in great danger. We might even lose our lives. You are still young, so you should leave as soon as possible."

Obanai Iguro frowned: "What do you mean?"

The old man was in a difficult position, but seeing that Yang Jie and the other two looked like they wouldn't leave until they got an answer, he sighed heavily.

"Well, let me be frank with you. We have a Serpent God on our Hachijo Island. It is because of the Serpent God that our Hachijo Island has abundant fisheries and is able to be self-sufficient."

Upon hearing the name "Snake God," Yosuke easily associated it with the snake demon that Obanai Iguro had mentioned earlier.

Obanai Iguro said cryptically to Yosuke, "On the day I escaped, I was being chased by the Serpent Demon. Just as I was about to die, the former Flame Pillar, Kyojuro's father, Juro Rengoku, arrived in time and killed the Serpent Demon. I saw the Serpent Demon turn to ashes under the sun with my own eyes. It's impossible for it to still be alive!"

Kanroji Mitsuri pressed on, "Grandpa, since it was the snake god who brought you abundant fisheries, then he must be a benevolent deity. Why did you say that if we don't leave, even you will be in danger?"

"The Serpent God hates outsiders. Whenever an outsider lands on Hachijojima Island, the Serpent God will punish them, and they will become living sacrifices. Even we will be implicated."

"Live sacrifice?"

Obanai Iguro's face darkened as he recalled his unforgettable experience on Hachijojima Island.

The old man's face was filled with fear: "That's right, it's a living sacrifice. Every few days, the Serpent God will eat a living sacrifice."

“But I think there are only a few hundred residents on Hachijoji Island at most. If a living sacrifice is needed every few days, how can that be possible?” Kanroji Mitsuri asked, her face full of doubt.

The old man's eyes flickered, and he stammered, "You don't need to worry about this. I mean well and don't want you to die here in vain. If you don't listen to my advice, there's nothing I can do. I've done everything I can."

After saying that, the old man left in a hurry.

Chapter 98 Snake Ghost

The old man's admonition to Yosuke and his companions added a touch of mystery to Hachijojima.

The cold wind howled through the night. Obanai Iguro's face was solemn. The old man's description of the serpent god devouring living sacrifices was almost identical to the serpent demon in Obanai Iguro's mind that fed on infants.

Iguro Koba couldn't help but wonder if the snake demon from back then had actually died.

"Crunch, crunch." The sound of chewing came from nearby.

Kanroji Mitsuri was seen eating a bag of sakura mochi.

Noticing Yosuke and Obanai Iguro's gaze, Mitsuri Kanroji blushed and said shyly, "I'm a little hungry... Would you like something to eat?"

"We're not hungry, you can eat by yourself." Although Obanai Iguro's tone was calm, a hint of doting affection still unconsciously showed in his eyes.

"Hiss... hiss..."

The Kaburamaru, which was wrapped around Obanai Iguro's neck, frequently stuck out its tongue and vibrated it rapidly, making a hissing sound.

"What's wrong with Kaburamaru?" Kanroji Mitsuri asked curiously.

Obanai Iguro narrowed her heterochromatic eyes slightly, staring directly into the depths of Hachijojima: "Kaburamaru possesses a keen sensory system. It has discovered its own kind, and this kind is no ordinary being. It is most likely the snake god that the old man mentioned."

In order to find out whether the snake god was the same snake demon from before, and to investigate the news about the priest family, the three of them once again went deep into Hachijojima Island.

After traversing a dense and complex forest, the three finally arrived at the former settlement of the Iguro clan.

Although the building is dilapidated, one can still see how luxurious it once was.

Yang Jie also smelled a fishy stench mixed with ghostly energy.

Yosuke's eyes shone brightly, and he suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. The stench of the snake masked the ghost's own scent, so we didn't smell the ghost when we first entered Hachijojima."

As the three entered the complex, they heard clear crawling sounds from the surrounding buildings, as if some giant creature was rapidly approaching them.

Obanai Iguro and Mitsuri Kanroji were on high alert, but Yosuke remained calm. As the unknown demon drew closer, Yosuke sensed from its aura that the demon was actually quite weak and not even among the Twelve Demon Moons.

Suddenly, a female ghost with a human head and a snake tail rushed out and roared wildly at the three of them.

Obanai Iguro, the Serpent Pillar, stared in disbelief at the demon before him, recognizing the so-called 'Serpent God'.

The snake demon also recognized Obanai Iguro: "Obanai Iguro! I knew it, I knew you would come to Hachijojima again!"

Kanroji Mitsuri asked in surprise, "Eh? You know Mr. Iguro?"

Obanai Iguro focused all her attention on the snake demon in front of her and was unable to answer Mitsuri Kanroji.

Obanai Iguro's face was grim. The demon before her was none other than Obanai Iguro's cousin, one of the only two survivors of the Iguro clan: "Asahina Iguro, why did you become a demon!"

The snake demon stared at Obanai Iguro with resentful eyes: "This is all because of you! Obanai Iguro! It's because of you that the Iguro family was wiped out! I want revenge! That's why I devoured the snake mother's flesh and blood and became a god in her place!"

Obanai Iguro remained silent, as painful memories kept resurfacing in her mind.

Kanroji Mitsuri was completely bewildered: "What's going on? Mr. Iguro..."

Yosuke reached out and stopped Kanroji Mitsuri: "Don't ask Mitsuri, let Iguro handle this."

The snake demon looked at Obanai Iguro's Demon Slayer Corps attire and let out a chilling laugh: "I never thought you would become a lackey of the Demon Slayer Corps. As a sacrifice, I will now take the place of the snake mother and the souls of the Iguro family to slowly devour the flesh and blood of you, this traitor!"

Obanai Iguro said in a deep voice, "I have never forgotten that I am a member of the vile Iguro family. You have harmed innocent people and treated human lives as toys to please you. You deserve this result!"

Snake Demon sneered, "How arrogant you are, Obanai Iguro. Do you think that just because your face is wrapped in bandages, you can forget that you are a member of the Iguro family? That scar on your face will always remind you that you are a member of the Iguro family, and you can never sever ties with us!"

The snake demon slithered and crawled through the buildings, constantly attacking Obanai Iguro, but Obanai Iguro simply chose to evade.

Kanroji Mitsuri said anxiously, "What is Mr. Iguro doing? Such a weak oni should be able to be killed in one hit."

Yosuke shook his head and said, "Iguro is just having trouble getting over this mental hurdle right now. Trust him, he'll figure it out."

Obanai Iguro moved like a snake, constantly dodging the snake demon's attacks.

The snake demon's attack couldn't even touch the hem of Obanai Iguro's clothes.

At this moment, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky.

The snake demon relentlessly attacked Obanai Iguro, but its attacks failed to hit, making it extremely frustrated.

Suddenly, the snake demon opened its blood-red maw, and a stream of dark purple venom sprayed from its mouth toward Obanai Iguro.

"Serpent's Breath? First Form? Serpentine Slash".

Obanai Iguro spun counter-clockwise to dodge the venom sprayed by the snake demon, and unleashed a curved slash that instantly severed the snake demon's tail.

The snake demon's agonizing roars echoed throughout Hachijo Island.

The snake demon, having lost its tail, could no longer crawl, and stared at Obanai Iguro with extremely resentful eyes.

The serpent demon sneered venomously, "What, you want to kill me? That's right, you already have more than fifty lives of the Iguro family on your hands, one more won't make a difference."

Upon hearing this, Obanai Iguro's hand holding the Nichirin Blade trembled slightly: "Those fifty-odd lives have nothing to do with me. It was entirely your own fault. You worshipped a demon that takes pleasure in killing, and you relied on the demon to obtain a life of luxury. Sooner or later, you will be devoured by it!"

The snake demon cursed, "Compared to me, you are the real demon! Obanai Iguro!"

Obanai Iguro lowered his head and said in a low voice, "You're right. I'm burdened with sins. I joined the Demon Slayer Corps and devoted myself to slaying demons only to alleviate the guilt in my heart."